Kasaï-Oriental · Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mbuji-Mayi travel guide
Mbuji-Mayi is a city in Kasaï-Oriental, Democratic Republic of the Congo, home to about 2,892,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- MJM3 km · Mbuji Mayi Airport
- Currency
- CDFCongolese franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Lubumbashi
- Language
- French
About
About Mbuji-Mayi
Mbuji-Mayi (known until end-1962 as Bakwanga) is a city and the capital of Kasai-Oriental Province in the south-central Democratic Republic of Congo. It is thought to be the second largest city in the country, after the capital Kinshasa and ahead of Lubumbashi, Kisangani and Kananga, though its exact population is not known.
The area around Mbuji-Mayi is one of the richest sources of mineral wealth in the world. In the 1950s, it was estimated that the Mbuji-Mayi area had the world's most important industrial diamond deposits, containing at least 300 million karats of diamonds. The city was literally constructed on top of the diamond deposits, and while the city's reputation as a company town under tight control of Belgian economic interests meant it was neat and orderly, it also meant that the city's buildings and homes, including those of top MIBA executives, were sometimes demolished to access the diamonds.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Mbuji-Mayi
Mbuji-Mayi has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; November is the wettest, with about 194 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Mbuji-Mayi: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mbuji Mayi Airport (MJM), about 3.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Kananga Airport (KGA, 128 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Given the state of roads and the rail system in the DRC, the only practical way to access the city is via air. Air Kasaï and Congo Airways fly to Kinshasa, while Air Kasaï also flies to Kananga and Congo Airways to Lubumbashi. Ethiopian Airlines flies the airport's only international route to Addis Ababa. There is a decent road from Mwene-Ditu, since that is the location of the nearest train station.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MJM · Mbuji Mayi Airport
KGA · Kananga Airport
Questions
Mbuji-Mayi: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Mbuji-Mayi?
Mbuji-Mayi has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; November is the wettest, with about 194 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Mbuji-Mayi?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mbuji Mayi Airport (MJM), about 3.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Kananga Airport (KGA, 128 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Mbuji-Mayi?
Congolese franc (CDF).
Nearby
Destinations near Mbuji-Mayi
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.